In the sudden flurry of interest in Ello, the concern over Facebook name policies and the absence of anything particularly stunning from G+ I'm a little surprised that Livejournal hasn't enjoyed a bit of a more prominent resurgence?

I'm offtothe winter Whitby Goth Weekend, after nearly a year of uncertainty for planning social engagements...

A year since I last updated?As the singer Sandy Denny sung "Who knows, where the time goes?"Mainstream social media like Facebook had captured our main online interactions, but maybe commodification of its users and behind the scenes security concerns has seen it step over the peak?

A strange year (without looking for sympathy, or comment), health variations due to Crohns Disease affecting my home and work life has slowed things down.In 12 months I have had one continuous period of 5 days without problems, a couple of spells of 3 days pain and problem free, but mostly every day has some level of pain and interruption. (A recent increase of prescription medication dosage and better sleep might be the beginning of a step forward).

The more active areas of my life have taken a step back - fortunately my field and trees mostly look after themselves, musical interests and interactions have shifted to small venue short events, often informal, rather than larger, louder all-night Goth gigs...

DIY is minimal, things put off because fatigue and lack of concentration kick in - Vehicle maint for the Landrover is at a trustable and reliable independent garage and the motorbike sold.

The present rain and wet conditions make for a gloomy expired month of January, but I'm optimistic that 2014 has potential...

I don't know where 2011 went, but just a few weeks of the year left...I've fallen victim to using Facebook and, specifically for the meadow, orchard and trees Blogspot and Twitter.I dabbled with Google+ it showed promise, but was too vague in it's configuration.Like a few people, I'd started Facebook with the idea of keeping it brief and reasonably serious, but their shifting tides of privacy relaxations and influx of dross apps negate that...

At work for a couple of days still, then 4 weeks off over Xmas and New Year.Not much planned on the social calendar apart from The Mediaeval Baebes at Birmingham Cathedral and something to pencil in for NYE.Father has had a spell of ill-health, so I'll be spending a bit of time with my folks...

The end of the first weekend back at work (night shifts) after a four week break that went too quickly...

During my spell off, one full day at home after the last spell at work, before heading into The Midlands and into a long weekend in Bristol.Relaxed and sunny with musical interludes and fine food - I'm pretty sure I always leave Bristol heavier than when I arrive, despite lots of walking.

Nearly a week at home / Chester / Farndon tying up loose ends and more hedgerow conservation down at the field.A few trees planted too, although lots still to do... down at the meadow.

Another Friday and off into Shropshire, after an hour or two in Wrexham for the first time in ages.A relaxed weekend, but marred slightly by getting news Monday morning of having my workshop and shed burgled the previous night.An order of 150 native trees collected on the drive back home, but only healed in rather than properly planted whilst I spent a bit of time making the property secure again.

The remainder of the week spent at home before setting off on the Thursday for The Whitby Goth Weekend.Almost summer weather during each drive there and back over the scenic North Yorks Moors.The weekend seemingly started quietly, but soon got going and great to catch up with folk I don't see so often these days.Fine cakes and hospitality again from Becketts Cafe and a couple of evening meals in Red Chard. No Laughtons nightclub for the Sunday, but still a decent 80s night...

Back to Chester via Manchester on the Monday, a pleasant afternoon and evening sociably and a quick trip to the field.By 11pm it was on the train then overnight sleeper to Aberdeen for a couple of days of meetings.

A couple of times the Crohns slowed me down. After a reasonable few months up to New Year, a few random regressions with it. A trip to the Doctors with some secondary symptoms / conditions - which the G.P. was dismissive of and suggested the less than ideal Ibruprofen... A trip to hospital that included tests and a sensible Doctor there looking at things as a whole and sorting a few things that made life more comfortable within a couple of days.

Another Thursday at home and Chester, then after another fine meal at JosephBenjamin - a dash towards Blackburn to pick up a 1753 copy of 'Millers Gardener's Dictionary (abridged)' a rather fine historic book with loads of stuff I'm interested in (and cheaper than the 4 volume 1800s edition at Salisbury on sale for £2500)!

On the Friday, a local machinery purchase for down at the field - a 2 metre landscape rake for behind the tractor.

Another weekend (my last one off). To Sheffield, 2 nights of Goth / Industrial music at Corporation for the Resistanz event - rather good and another social overlap including more southerly folks who didn't get to Whitby.In all a rather successful event with another rumoured for next year.

I was hoping to get to see a film The Eagle - based on Rosemary Sutcliffe's novel The Eagle of the Ninth, the book is a well written story based on the mysterious disappearance of The Ninth Legion north of Hadrian's Wall and the discovery of a Roman Standard Eagle, now in Reading Museum.Hopefully the film will still be on somewhere when I'm home.

Another Monday and the train home to Chester - fine weather again and a few jobs outdoors at home, then a couple of hours with the tractor and land rake down at the field (and nearly 2 tonnes of horse-muck collected locally for composting).Everything packed away by nightfall and Tuesday morning at home with a visit from my folks, a couple of hours in the garden with everything bursting into life with springtime.An afternoon into varied weather north through The Lake District and onwards to Northern Scotland for work...

Back at work - fortunately my train connection on Tuesday night was only about an hour late, compared to the 3 hour delays suffered by those on the East Coast line...Rubbish sleep before a 5am rise for 6am helicopter check-in.9 hours continuous sleep though for the first night after work - best for months.A shame though, as I missed the end of The History of Ancient Britain on TV.

After a fine time during my last break - particularly at The Secrret Garden Party 'Lost Lovers Ball' at Battersea Power Station, time to look ahead to the next 4 weeks off:Already planning ahead, for my next spell off, with a cluster of music events of Goth persuasion for a few weekends on the run (Bristol, Sheffield, Whitby...)

Further ahead, I have a hunter-gatherer weekend booked after Easter through The author of The Tree House Diaries, Nick Weston.Hopefully useful for slow food / low food miles alfresco dining ingredients from around the meadow.A busy time ahead for there and now the weather turns towards spring, a battle against natures ticking clock to get young trees transplanted as soon as I'm back on land - particularly as so much has started to come into bud (fortunately the hedge layered last November has new buds on).

Looking up some info on owls - I have 4 around the Meadow - it seems that recordings of tawny owls 'warbling' are rare, so I might try a microphone on a pole by the hollow ash tree to get a decent recording when back home.

As the Facebook generation overtakes and a relatively occupied start to the new year, my first post to Livejournal of 2011...

Back from work in time for New Year, commenced at Vagabonds Goth night, a few days in Wiltshire early January as the weather for much outdoors at home seemed less than favourable. A short spell through Oxfordshire taking in the Cherwell Valley at Heyford, back to Rousham and an afternoon in Oxford.

Back to work as February started and briefly back home before another few days in Oxford.London tonight for a Ball put on by The Secret Garden Party at Battersea Power Station...

A brief couple of days at home relatively busy (and trying to get out of night-shift).A consignment of irrigation gear arrived at home, ready for late spring and summer down at the field (ironic as it's just had another winter flood inundation).Also a bundle of M111 apple root-stocks for grafting some hedgerow apple twigs collected in Wiltshire. I suspect these are from discarded apple cores, the trees are in exposed areas on the edge of Salisbury Plain and have quite edible apples well into winter...

Quite dismayed by the content of the Public Bodies Bill and it's enabling powers to dispose of the estate of The Forestry Commission. Don't be distracted by the postponement of the sale of 15% of Forestry Commission land - see http://saveourforests.co.ukLocal to home there is a local save Delamere group on Facebook and with their own website too...

A Consultant check-up at the end of last week regarding the Crohns - reasonably stable at present, but a minor discussion regarding the Pentasa granules I take to try and keep it under control.

A pleasant train ride into Oxford through a sunny Cherwell Valley and relaxed lunch in The Grand Cafe, before London tonight.

After an epic journey back to the north-west of England from 150 miles east of Aberdeen after an extra few snowy days (unplanned) offshore, I am now in Bristol (Via Liverpool for The Mediaeval Baebes concert and briefly at home in Chester).Both The Watershed and Arnolfini are doing mulled cider, most appreciated in this weather.A quick roving lunch at the meadow on the drive down Sunday afternoon and today started with a fine full breakfast at Source and a quick caffeine fix.I also at long last have the ingredients for a grey-squirrel casserole, tomorrow will be an interesting day in the kitchen back at home. My rationale is that I might have to control the squirrel population down at the meadow - particularly with a nuttery, heritage varieties orchard and a few hundred young trees being established. I would rather consider a productive method of management that involves me taking an active role in the food chain...

It's trying to snow here, not much, but it's stuck lightly like icing sugar on a cake. A moderate amount of Xmas shopping done - Cabot Circus and the rest of Bristol's streets being bearable on a cold December morning. I might consider a route home via a stop at Uffington Hill and Oxfordshire.

Day 15 out of 14 in the off-shore household...The sound of a helicopter and the smell of kerosine yesterday, but that was a catch-up flight after nothing for 6 days.Today would have been crew-change back to Aberdeen, but at least an extra night on a remote island tonight due to snow and freezing temperatures and backlogs (-9 deg.C wind chill last night outside).

With National Tree Week just gone, I'm guessing back home and at the meadow the ground will be as hard as iron and no good for planting until things have thawed (and of course the logistics of getting 400 miles south have been resolved).

Hopefully home in time for The Mediaeval Baebes at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral on Saturday night and then Bristol and the South West next week - maybe grey-squirrel on the menu too this time.Also Xmas stuff to sort, as I'll be working over the Festive period and hopefully home without delays in time for New Year and an overnight stopover with Gothic overtones to see in the New year.I've thought a few times that 2010 was one of those 'fast years' where time and events just fly by and a few others have commented likewise.